Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Dammam Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Dammam

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,261 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,215 in Dammam.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,130 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,840 in Dammam.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,999 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,465 in Dammam.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 4% more expensive than Dammam, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Dammam 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.67 MX$202

$6.68 SAR 25.04

74.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.88 MX$726

$39.64 SAR 149

5.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.40 MX$180

$8.01 SAR 30.05

29.84%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.78 SAR 6.68

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 SAR 6.93

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.6

$3.56 SAR 13.36

1.40%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.47 MX$25.45

$0.81 SAR 3.03

81.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.80

$0.30 SAR 1.14

203.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$52.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 MX$77.4

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.83

$1.71 SAR 6.40

-19.30%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.93

$1.00 SAR 3.76

84.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.82

$2.37 SAR 8.89

-32.07%

Eggs

$2.57 MX$44.52

$2.51 SAR 9.41

2.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.49 MX$147

$6.73 SAR 25.24

26.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.49 MX$147

$7.53 SAR 28.26

12.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.99 MX$190

$12.78 SAR 47.94

-14.01%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 MX$47.25

$2.28 SAR 8.54

19.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.92

$1.66 SAR 6.23

-9.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$33.93

$1.59 SAR 5.95

23.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.70

$1.56 SAR 5.84

35.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.30

$1.23 SAR 4.60

51.22%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.67

$1.32 SAR 4.96

64.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.59

$1.30 SAR 4.87

-17.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 MX$18.18

$0.63 SAR 2.35

66.67%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.90 SAR 10.89

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 SAR 6.71

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 SAR 7.52

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.6

$7.13 SAR 26.75

-41.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.28 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.87

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 MX$43.12

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$1.10 SAR 4.11

-50.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.27 MX$455

$39.58 SAR 148

-33.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 MX$53.8

$2.73 SAR 10.23

13.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.66

$1.92 SAR 7.21

28.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.24 MX$56.1

$13.42 SAR 50.3

-75.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 MX$21.83

$0.64 SAR 2.40

96.88%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$30.2K MX$522.8K

$26.2K SAR 98.2K

15.19%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$23.4K MX$406.3K

$23.1K SAR 86.7K

1.38%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$84.0 MX$1,456

$106 SAR 397

-20.64%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$22.21 MX$385

$33.23 SAR 125

-33.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.65 MX$514

$70.5 SAR 264

-57.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.6 MX$912

$96.3 SAR 361

-45.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.34 MX$318

$36.28 SAR 136

-49.45%

Cinema Ticket

$4.95 MX$85.7

$14.86 SAR 55.7

-66.69%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$198 MX$3,438

$346 SAR 1,298

-42.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,322 MX$92.2K

$7,416 SAR 27.8K

-28.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.95 MX$623

$56.4 SAR 212

-36.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.06 MX$694

$63.9 SAR 240

-37.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,365

$84.5 SAR 317

-6.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,499

$81.8 SAR 307

5.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$977 MX$16.9K

$428 SAR 1,606

128.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$471 MX$8,158

$382 SAR 1,434

23.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,595 MX$27.6K

$877 SAR 3,288

81.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,215 MX$21.1K

$633 SAR 2,374

91.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,032 MX$69.9K

$1,776 SAR 6,661

127.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,579 MX$114.0K

$1,107 SAR 4,150

494.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$714 MX$12.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

4.42

158.37%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 19, 2026

Last update for Dammam: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $977 in Playa del Carmen and $428 in Dammam. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $42 in Playa del Carmen vs $40 in Dammam for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $252 vs $197 per month, with Dammam cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Playa del Carmen vs Dammam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dammam is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out. The 4% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,891 in Playa del Carmen and $1,823 in Dammam to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $977 in Playa del Carmen versus $428 in Dammam. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,261 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $1,215 in Dammam – a 4% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Dammam runs roughly 51% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,215 in Dammam versus $1,261 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Dammam but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Dammam the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Dammam is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Playa del Carmen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Dammam are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Dammam gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.